It is 49-year-old Sheringham's first managerial job, having been West Ham attacking coach under manager Sam Allardyce for the last 12 months.

The ex-Tottenham and Manchester United forward will take over "in the summer".

Sheringham - the oldest goalscorer and outfield player in Premier League history - had a 25-year playing career, which began at Millwall before spells at Nottingham Forest and Spurs.

Former England team-mate Ian Wright tweeted his best wishes for Sheringham in his new role

He spent four years at Manchester United, scoring an injury-time equaliser in their Champions League final victory over Bayern Munich in 1999.

After returning to Tottenham, spells at Portsmouth, West Ham and Colchester followed before he retired aged 42 at the end of the 2007-08 season.

"To say that I am excited is an understatement and I am really looking forward to next season," Sheringham told the club website.

"The aim is to do better than last season. I know that is a big aim but that should be the aim for the football club.

"To get into the play-offs was a great season so the players are performing well which is a good thing to take into next season."

Sheringham replaces Westley, who has finished a third spell in charge of Boro.

Westley won the League Two play-off final with Stevenage against Torquay in 2011

After spending three years at the helm between 2003 and 2006, he returned to Boro in 2008 following a stint at Rushden & Diamonds, and led the club from the Conference into League One.

He left for a brief unsuccessful spell at Preston, and returned to Broadhall Way in March 2013, but could not prevent his side being relegated from the third tier last season.

Westley led Stevenage to the League Two play-offs this season, losing 4-2 on aggregate to Southend, and chairman Phil Wallace confirmed on Wednesday the 47-year-old would be leaving at the end of his contract.

Sheringham was playing in a golf tournament at Wentworth on Wednesday alongside golfer Paul Lawrie and TV presenter Dan Walker